(I saw an opportunity and I took it XD)
Ariella burst out laughing. She couldn't hold it back anymore. Not with his blush and stuttering. She was laughing so hard she bent over to clutch her stomach. "You should see your face," she said in between laughs.
Unfortunately, her laughter only made Marc blush more. He was no stranger to that kind of humor, or being ridiculed, but it had just been so unexpected… “Póg mo thóin, bloody fecker.” he muttered harshly as he pushed forward, not caring if she understood him or not at the moment.
Ariella was smiling to herself as she straightened put. Her laughter had subsided but her amusement hadn't. She had no idea what he said but had an idea. She sneaked a glance at him. "I'm sorry but I couldn't let the opportunity go by."
“You remember when you asked what “gobshite” meant? Well, you were a good example of one just now.” he told her, still not looking at her as he tried to calm back down.
Ariella didn't let it phase her. She only gave him a sweet smile. "I have a very vulgar sense of humor. Except worse than that." Eveb if she was annoying him, it was nice to have company. Company that wasn't like her missing companions. While they were friends and cares for one another, it wasn't the same.
Marc rolled his eyes, huffing a slight laugh at her warning. “Is that an American habit? To make such crude comments?” he asked in a calmer, but bit sarcastic, tone.
Ariella shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't know. I've spent less than half my life on earth and even less of that has been spent in America. I just don't chose very proper company. I spend most of my time in bars and pubs and sketchy places."
This time Marc let out a brief chuckle and smirked. “That is both concerning and believable.” he nodded. “I guess when you can travel like you do, you wouldn't want to stay in one place too long.”
Ariella grinned at him. "I think a lot of my company would send you into a coma. I've never really associated with good people." Moving all the time just didn't allow for her to make tight connections. She dealt with criminals and thugs a lit. Quick cash on her pocket. "It's a gift and a curse I think."
“You caught me off guard is all. I’m not that feeble. I may not approve, not that it matters, but I can handle myself.” he defended. Though Marc nodded again at her second comment. “Is it as lonely as I think it is?”
Ariella had no doubt about that. And she would swing crude jokes and vulgar words at him if only to get a rise out of him. She sighed softly, turning her gaze to the settings suns. "I could settle down if I wanted too. Find someplace nice and quiet to live. But I crave the adventure. I don't like staying somewhere. It makes me anxious. And the moment anyone hears wind of my abilities, they always come. It's tiring."
(oops! I thought I already replied. Sorry)
“I don't blame you on that score.” Marc admitted. “That's another part of what drew me into police work. But I still have the option to settle down whenever I want without giving up the adventure of it.” he shrugged. “Though it sounds like Earth might not be an easy place for you to do that. What with all your secrets and no one else being able to see what you do… That would make any relationship difficult.”
(You're good!)
Ariella shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think I'd ever want to settle down on Earth. I rarely visit it as it is. They're not the only place with technology. And while I might miss some of the movies and books, other places have stories as well. It's not the same but still entertaining." She slipped her hands back into the scrub pockets. "I've just accepted that I'm going to Travel until I die."
Marc raised a brow at the way she referred to Earth but decided not to comment. “That's actually a bit sad.” he hummed. “Not that you wouldn’t settle on Earth but that you’ve resigned yourself to not settling anywhere. You mentioned the danger of it and I respect that. It's just… Nowhere appeals to you?”
Ariella didn't look at him. "I have nothing to tie me down anywhere. No family, no friends. It's just me." Perhaps that was just the excuse she gave so she didn't needed to settle down anywhere. The teeth of it was that she was scared. She was scared to out her roots down and make a family for herself. It was terrifying.
“There are other reasons to pick someplace you want to stay.” he pointed out, letting the topic drop. Marc wasn't an idiot. He could tell that wasn't the whole reason but he didn't know her well enough to push for an answer. “How much farther is it to the town?” he asked, changing the conversation.
Ariella didn't respond to that. Not when he was right. And she hated it when other people were right. There were a number of reasons she refused to settle down, most of it being fear. There was a lot to fear. And she had never had a reason to stay anywhere. There was nothing waiting for her on Earth, nothing to tie her there. She had seen and experienced enough cruelty on Earth to never want to stay. She looked up at the suns, "Perhaps an hour now, given that we are going to the right way." She was just guessing after all.
Marc didn't expect her to reply, not when she clearly didn't want to talk about it. “Well, I’m glad that we ended up so close then.” he shrugged, already having lost track of how long they had been walking. Though he was going to blame the two suns in the sky for that.
Ariella's throat was dry and she couldn't wait for some water. It was hard to come by out in the desert. She wanted to hurry. It was dangerous to be out after darks. Things came out, beasts that rarely anyone saw and lived to tell about it. She didn't want to be one of those people. She'd rather find the town and that be it. She mustered a small smile for Marc before looking forward. There, finally, she coukd see the beginnings of a town. It was still far out but at least she was leading them jn the right direction.
Marc gave a small smile back, also feeling the dryness of this desert air. But as the silhouette of the town came into view it made it easier to keep going. “Anything else I should know about this place so I don't stick out too much as an outsider?”
Ariella let out a small laugh. "There's not a chance that they won't know you're an outsider. Your best bet is to stick close to me. They will target you fir certain…things. But they know me and they know not to mess with me."
Marc’s eyes widened at the implications of her ominous statement but nodded. “Ok. I’ll stay close.” he agreed. He was no snob against men or women but he had no idea about what these native people would be like.
"It'll be mostly scams," Ariella corrected herself. "And maybe a few pick pocketers. Though we don't have anything on us so we'll be safe in that regard.
But I know the language and most know me here. They'll leave us alone."
“Oh. I see.” Marc nodded, letting out a soft sigh. “There was something about the way you phrased it that made it sound more ominous than that.” he explained with a chuckle.
"Weeeeeell," Ariella drawed out. "Other things might happen as well but not so much here. Everyone here us just trying to survive. When we reach other places, I'll warn you then of what might happen. But let's stick with shelter and supplies first."